Classical musicians tend to play it safe, and that’s not meant as criticism.

The goal in this art form is to manifest the ideas of the masters, to render their meticulous works with the precision they deserve. Beethoven and Handel supplied their own nuances, thank you, no uppity 21st century violinist needs to add her own.

In that context, Avi Avital’s new renditions of familiar Bach compositions is downright radical. Avital, who plays the mandolin (the mandolin!), has transcribed the works to suit his own instrument, stealing the lines played for three centuries now by dedicated violinists, harpsichordists and flutists.

As an album Avital’s “Bach” (Deutsche Grammophon) is a risky move, but it pays off at nearly every note. This is a light and clever collection full of serious music, and a lovely summer listen. The mandolin turns out to be a fine substitute for the harpsichord in particular — the two instruments share a sort of thick, tinny tone — making a selection like the album-opening Concerto in D minor sound comfortable and natural.

In places where the music seems more contrived, Avital’s slick virtuosity on the strings gets him through. The mandolin does not sub so easily for the flute – the well-known Concerto in A minor is bravely overhauled here, rather than sweetly enhanced – but Avital plays us through any doubts.

There is danger in messing with the masters, but other kinds of artists are not as uptight as the classical music crowd can be. “Hamlet” set on a space station? We’ve all seen something like that. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Here, Avital plays his parts so well that little is lost and old works sound new again.

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